4. Her virginity also itself was on this account more pleasing and accepted, in that it was not that Christ being conceived in her, rescued it beforehand from a husband who would violate it, Himself to preserve it; but, before He was conceived, chose it, already dedicated to God, as that from which to be born. This is shown by the words which Mary spake in answer to the Angel announcing to her her conception; “How,” saith she, “shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”7    Luke i. 34 Which assuredly she would not say, unless she had before vowed herself unto God as a virgin. But, because the habits of the Israelites as yet refused this, she was espoused to a just man, who would not take from her by violence, but rather guard against violent persons, what she had already vowed. Although, even if she had said this only, “How shall this take place?” and had not added, “seeing I know not a man,” certainly she would not have asked, how, being a female, she should give birth to her promised Son, if she had married with purpose of sexual intercourse. She might have been bidden also to continue a virgin, that in her by fitting miracle the Son of God should receive the form of a servant, but, being to be a pattern to holy virgins, lest it should be thought that she alone needed to be a virgin, who had obtained to conceive a child even without sexual intercourse, she dedicated her virginity to God, when as yet she knew not what she should conceive, in order that the imitation of a heavenly life in an earthly and mortal body should take place of vow, not of command; through love of choosing, not through necessity of doing service. Thus Christ by being born of a virgin, who, before she knew Who was to be born of her, had determined to continue a virgin, chose rather to approve, than to command, holy virginity. And thus, even in the female herself, in whom He took the form of a servant, He willed that virginity should be free.

CAPUT IV.

4. Virginitas Mariae voto dicata Deo antequam de concipiendo Christo audisset. Ipsa quoque virginitas ejus ideo gratior et acceptior, quia non eam conceptus Christus viro violaturo quam conservaret ipse praeripuit, sed priusquam conciperetur jam Deo dicatam de qua nasceretur elegit. Hoc indicant verba quae sibi fetum annuntianti angelo Maria reddidit. Quomodo, inquit, fiet istud, quoniam virum non cognosco (Luc. I, 34)? Quod profecto non diceret, nisi Deo virginem se ante vovisset. Sed quia hoc Israelitarum mores adhuc recusabant, desponsata est viro justo, non violenter ablaturo, sed potius contra violentos custodituro quod illa jam voverat. Quanquam etiamsi hoc solum dixisset, Quomodo fiet istud? nec addidisset, quoniam virum non cognosco; non quaesisset utique, promissum sibi filium quomodo femina paritura esset, si concubitura nupsisset. Poterat et juberi virgo permanere, in qua Dei Filius formam servi congruenti miraculo acciperet: sed exemplo sanctis futura virginibus, ne putaretur sola virgo esse debuisse, quae prolem etiam sine concubitu concipere meruisset, virginitatem Deo dicavit, cum adhuc quid esset conceptura nesciret, ut in terreno mortalique corpore coelestis vitae imitatio voto fieret, non praecepto; amore eligendi, non necessitate serviendi. Ita Christus nascendo de virgine, quae antequam sciret quis de illa fuerat nasciturus, virgo statuerat permanere, virginitatem sanctam approbare maluit, quam imperare. Ac sic etiam in ipsa femina in qua formam servi accepit, virginitatem esse liberam voluit.